Boss Zonke’ hit maker, Riky Rick, has pulled out of the Metro FM Awards just hours before the rapper was scheduled to perform for thousands of South Africans expected to tune into the annual award ceremony held in Durban.
A source close to Riky Rick revealed that he will not be performing because organisers “are not taking his craft seriously”.
The source, who has opted to remain anonymous, explained that Riky Rick – nominated for four awards – was not allowed to perform during the main show but was told he could only perform outside during the red carpet.
Riky Rick was never on the lineup of the Metro FM Awards said SABC spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago. “We were trying out a different approach this year on the black carpet.  As you know the black carpet was always about fashion and movement of people and we wanted to bring in an element of performance there at the black carpet. But the kind of request that they came with was things that we could not afford to do and we felt that we cant accede to those kinds of whatever.”
Kganyago said that because of time constraints not all nominees can perform, “If all the nominees were to perform then there wont be the awards, it would be a music show.”
Riky Rick had apparently agreed to perform on the red carpet on the basis that extra lighting and other extras would be added to make his performance “spectacular”.
Upon arrival in Durban on Friday, the artist was informed that organisers had scrapped the agreement to add extras.
He was told that he would be performing a normal stripped down act without the thrills and frills.
“Riky Rick agreed with the creatives of the production that he would only perform if the spectacular workshopped concept he practiced with the production company was included. The extras would have made up for him not performing on the main stage like the other nominated artists but he arrived at rehearsals to be told none of the props and extras would be added into the show. Riky was disappointed that they only told him on the day of rehearsals instead of communicating this to him before he arrived in Durban. He felt tricked,” said the source.
Kganyago highlighted the fact that the lineup of performances is based on a specific concept which not all nominees fit in to.
“The lineup is not made on the basis of people who were nominated, it’s based on a concept for every Metro FM Awards. A concept is created and they look for people who fit the bill. Some of the people who are performing there, they are not even nominated but they fit the storyline that they want to project.”
As they say in show business, ‘The show must go on’ and SABC spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago agrees, “It does not affect the Metro FM Awards in any way because it was a side thing that we were doing for the show.”
Source : Online